San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-20
LOVE FOR A DAY.
7 THE AUTHOR OF "DoRA THoRNE,"
"a DEAD HEART" 1.-TWO KISSES"
"THE FATAL LILIES" ETC.
.InaJ must De true" she allowed

.-InaJ must De true" she allowed
more gravely than had expected.
The next morning | had to drive with
Lady Yorke to WoOdheaton; she want
ed to make some purchases. The morn
ing was lovely, but her mind was evil
IDENTIFY still disturbed by the converse
ton Of the previous day.
Miss Chester" she said suddenly,
shave you ever seen people who were
really i'll from want of food?"
Eyes, very often, when was at home
with my mother. She, out of her limit
ed means, made point of relieving
some poor person or other every day."
And l." said Lady York, have
never, so far as / remember, relieved
poor person in my life. We send money
to various charities; but l have never
personally given any away. Ihave seen
so few poor people"
/ saw that her mind was awakened.
We talked on the same subject during
the whole of our drive. told her what
/ had seen amongst the poor at Grace
dieu-their patience, their industry, the
pathos and beauty of their lives.
1.-The true heroes and heroines of this
world" said, ''are the accomplishing
poor"
Heroes and heroinesl" she repeated.
"Why, Miss Chester, what can there be
heroic in poverty"
Poverty bravely borne is true hero
ism," said. 1T is easy to be happy
and contented when everything goes
well, when one has plenty of money,
plenty of food, and everything one can
desire. What can be more heroic than
the endurance of hunger and cold with
outcomplaint? have read of what the
world calls heroines-Joan of Arc, who
won throne for her king, Charlotte
Corday, who slew the enemy of France;
but, to my way of thinking, the real
heroine is the wife and mother whose
life is one continual struggle, who denies
herself that her husband and children
may have enough, who works without
ceasing, never complains, comforts her
husband, brings up her children well,
and practices heroic virtues unseen by
any one, unknown even to herself.
That woman is one of Heavens own
heroines."
Lady Yorke was silent and thought
full during the rest of the day, but in
the evening she relapsed into the old
lackadaisical mood.
A few days afterwards I asked her if
she would go to Woodheaton again,
and, having no other engagement, she
consented. Just what / longed for hap
pened. When we reached the shop Of
the principal statiOner, the wife of the
Rector was there. She knew Lady
Yorke in distant fashion.
Mrs. Durrant was an active, energetic
woman, whose life was filled with good
deeds, the very reverse of beautiful,
luxury-loving Lady Yorke. To my
great delight, she began to talk to Lady
Yorke about the badness of the times,
the want of work, the poverty of the
people. shall never forget Mrs. Dur
rants face when Lady YOrke languidly
took out her well-tilled purse.
Would money be of any usep" she
"Heaven bless mel" cried the Rector's
wife, startled out of all propriety.-
why, Lady Yorke, it is only money
that we want. Money will purchase
food, coal, clothes, fuel, and everything
else."
1 heard the rustic Of bank notes, and
Lady Yorke said gently:
xviii you distribute this amongst
your poor?"
The eyes of the Rector's wife filled
with tears. She saw in the gift relief
for many from utter misery.
"If you would see poverty in all its
desolation, Lady Yorke," she said, ear
nestly, 'you should go to place that
is called Sandy Fields"
After the Rector's wife had departed,
turned to Lady Yorke.
will you gop" asked her.
81 do not know, Miss Chester" she
said, drawing her rich silks and laces
tightly around her. II have never seen
anything of the kind"
when you de-" l remarked, "you
will like to have some good deed to re-
member. You will like to think then
that you have lessened the burden of
one human heart"
You brighten me-" she said. Yes,
Twill CO."
Half an hour afterwards fashionable,
self-indulgent Lady Yorke stood in the
poorest cottage in Sandy Fields, look
ing round her in horror and dismay.
Only a starving woman and starving
child were there; there was no fire, no
food, no table, no chair. no bed. 1t was
a most hopeless. helpless case.
"a contrast to WestwOOd,n / whis-
pered to her.
At first the woman was sullen and
would not speaker misery was too
great. Then she cried out:
mo, you can do nothing for me. Ny
husband died six weeks ago; and this